Packaging



May 9, 1939. e. R'WEBBER ET AL PACKAGING Filed April 13, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 9, 1939. G. R. WEBBER ET AL PACKAGING Filed April 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 RNEY Patented May 9,1939

" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,157,194 PACKAGING Delaware Application April13, 1935, Serial No. 16,163

Claims.

This invention relates to .packages and to a method of packaging.

A general object of the invention is to provide a package having improved characteristics as to 5 function and appearance.

More. particularly, objects of the invention are to provide a package which has a markedly attractive appearance, in which economical materials are effectively utilized, and which is easy to assemble and fill.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a package for contents of the class hereinafter described, which has a definite form comprising non-yielding side-walls bounded by well defined l5 corners, and which has the hardness and general tactility of a rigidly constructed container, but

which is made up largely from paper or similar inexpensive flexible material.

Another object of the invention is to provide a package havingside-walls covered with a limited quantity of metallic foil, which has substantially the visual aspect of a package havingits side-walls entirely-.foil covered.

A more specific object of the invention is to 5 provide a package constructed with flexible sidewalls covered with a limited quantity of metallic foil, yet which has substantially the visual and tactual aspects of a container formed entirely of metal. v 30 A further object of the invention is to provide a package possessing some or all of the other advantages herein described which is well adapted to be produced in quantity by means of automatic machinery, and in which the desired 35 characteristics are obtained through use of a minimum quantity of inexpensive'materials.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a package for contents of the class herein described which is substantially air tight and 40 sift proof, and in which the contents are readily accessible for use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method'of packagingcontents of the class herein contemplated. 45 Yet another object. of the invention is the provision of suitable steps for forming a package having one or more of the advantageous characteristics mentioned above, including the steps of so compacting and confining the contents that 50 they serve rigidly to support the package sidewalls.

Another object of this invention is to improve 9 the package and method of packaging shown in the co-pending application of George R. Webber et al., Serial No. 16,162.

9 Other objects of the invention in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the several steps and the relation of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others, and 5 the article possessing .the features, properties, and the relation of elements, which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims. 10

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to .thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

' in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of a blank used in forming the side-walls of a package embodying the principles of the present invention;

' Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of the blank shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a rigid top end wall;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the method of folding the'side-walls and applying the top end-wall;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the package showing an intermediate stage of its assembly;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of thepackage as shown in Fig. 5, and further illustratingfeatures of its dispensing closure structure; a

Fig. "I is a vertical sectional view showing the operation of loading the package of Fig. 5 in a mold;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the application of a rigid bottom end-wall;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a further step in closing the bottom of the package;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the completed bottom closure of the package;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing a further stage in the package assembly;

Fig. 12 is aperspective view showing a completed package;

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the completed package shown in Fig. 12; and M Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing the method of opening the package to remove its contents.

The class of'contents intended for packaging in accordance with the present invention comprises substances which are sufliciently loose or plastic to be moldable, and which are substantial enough to be compacted or shaped into a substantially unyielding body. Such contents inelude, for example, granular substances such as coffee, cereals, salt, sugar and the like; pulverulent or powdery substances such as flour; leafy substances such as tea and tobacco; and plastic substances such as dried fruits and the like. These last substances, namelydried fruits, have heretofore been put up in packages having a definite form through compression or molding of the contents. This has been feasible in this particular instance where the adherent properties and relative immobility of the contents are such that they may be molded into a compact body which is self sustaining regardless of the package structure used to cover it. The present invention, however, goes beyond this in that it provides a package made largely of flexible materials which is so assembled, loaded and constructed, that relatively dry, non-tacky, mobile substances may be packaged and retained in a compact, definitely formed, substantially unyielding body.. In addition, certain benefits of the present invention may be obtained even in the case of self-sustaining bodies such as dried fruits.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 ablank generally designated l which is used in forming the sidewalls of. the package. This blank comprises a sheet of flexible material I I, such as strong bond paper, which has a coextensive ply of flexible lining material l2, such as glassine, moistureproof regenerated cellulose, or the like, attached to its inner face by means of marginally applied adhesive IS. The blank l0 comprises a front wall section I, edge wall sections l5, and back wall sections 1 6, defined by vertical fold lines H, which last are formed during the assembly of the package as hereinafter described. The blank also comprises a narrow top edge allowance l8, which is subsequently defined from the side-walls proper by a fold linel9, and a bottom end allowance 20 which likewise is subsequently defined from the side-wall proper by a fold line 2|. The edge wall areas l5 are completely covered with metallic foil 22 which extends from top to bottom of the blank and is of sufficient lateral extent partially to overlie adjacent portions of the front and back walls.

In assembling the package the side-wall blank I8 is folded around a rectangularly sectioned mandrel 23 (Fig. 4) and the back-wall sections l6 are overlapped and pasted together along a seam 24. A rigid end-wall 25 is next placed against the end of. the mandrel 23, within the projecting end allowance I8, in order that the latter may be pasted down thereover. This first applied end-wall is adapted ultimately to form the top of the package. The details of its structure are best shown in Fig. 3. It comprises two plies 26 and 21 of rigid or substantially unbending material such as heavy cardboard or fiber board. A coextensive inner liner 28 of glassine is marginally pasted to the ply 21.. A dispensing closure is formed by scoring the plies 26 and 21 as at 29 to provide a hinged closure. The scoring of the inner ply 2'! is offset with respect to that of the outer ply 26 as shown at 36 so as to provide a supporting ledge which prevents inward movement of that portion of the hinged closure member formed from the material of ply 26. A staple 8|, or other suitable fastening means, holds the two plies of the hinged closure together for movement in unison, and a tab 32 is cut in the outer ply 26 as illustrated, in order that it may be lifted by the user's thumb nail.

The glassine liner 28 is not adhesively attached to the movable end closure portion of the endwall, so that the latter may be lifted without disrupting the seal afforded by such liner.

This entire rigid end-wall, as explained above, is placed against the end of the mandrel 23 and top end allowance I 8 is folded down thereover, the allowance portions forming extensions of the front and back walls being first turned in as shown at 33' (Fig. 5), and then the allowance portions forming extensions of the side-walls l5 as shown at 34. The inturned allowances 33 and 34 are all pasted against the margin of the outside face of the end-wall, the side-wall liner I2 being" in actual contact therewith. The pasted down allowances extend only slightly over the rigid end-wall, and leave the hinged closure free for operation, at the same time limiting the quantity of side-wall materials used in producing the package. This last factor effects an appreciable saving in the mass production of packages of this kind. The. freedom of movement of. the hinged closure is indicated, for example, in Fig. 6, although such closure is not ordinarily bent up as shown in that illustration at this stage in the package assembly. In Fig. 6, there is also shown an advertising pamphlet which may be inserted in the space between the dispensing closure and the glassine liner 28. This pamphlet ordinarily will be placed in this position during the assembly of the end-wall per se, being placed against the scored closure flap prior to the pasting of the liner 28 to the end-wall.

After the package reaches the stage shown in Figs. 5 and 6, it is removed from the mandrel and placed in a. mold 35 which has a rectangular cross section substantially corresponding to that of the end-wall 25 and which has well defined, though slightly rounded, corners corresponding to similar slightly rounded corners on such endwall. Contents of the class described above are now inserted in the open end of the package. These are subjected to compacting processes which cause them completely to fill the interior of the package. In the case of coffee, for example, the desired compacting is suitably obtained by partially filling the container, say to about three-fourths of its intended capacity, and then vibrating and ranmiing the coifee into the package. .Vibration may be imparted in any manner familiarly known in the packing of coffee and similar granular substances. As shown in Fig. 7, the package has thus been threefourths filled with coffee 36 which has been vibrated into place. In addition to such vibration, the coffee is subjected to considerable compacting pressure by a ram 31 which fits snugly within the package side-walls. The ram is then withdrawn and the remainder of the contents are inserted. These, too, are subjected to compacting either by vibration and ramming or by ramming alone, as desired. ,With certain machinery, it is also quite feasible to fill the container with the entire quantity of coffee that it is to hold, say one pound. When this is done, the container is vibrated at the time the contents are measured and poured therein, and these contents subsequently are rammed while the container is in the mold.

The package contents are compacted and molded to an extent suflicient to compel them to assume the definite shape imposed by the mold 35, and they are compressed within the interior of the package to an extent considerable enough to form them into a substantially unyielding body which enables them rigidly to support the side-walls. By rigidly supported sidewalls, it is meant that after the contents are confined in a manner such as that hereinafter described in connection with the remaining steps needed to complete the package, the compacted contents so support the flexible side-walls that these walls are not subject to surface indentations, and the package when grasped is hard and unyielding, having the .tactility of a rigidly formed container, such as one formed of tin or the like. Perhaps a closer description of the rigidity of the side-walls of the package is that, when grasped, it feels as though it contains an unyielding object such as a block of wood. In any event, the paper walled package has striking tactual characteristics, and its flexible sidewalls are rigidly supported in the sense that they can be indented or displaced only with the utmost difliculty, and with great abuse. They are well adapted to maintain their definite shape and pronounced corners throughout the ordinary handling of the package attendant'upon shipping and merchandising it.

Whenthe package has thus been filled and its contents compacted another end-wall 38 is applied to the open bottom end of the package as I shown in Fig. 8. This end-wall is of solid unscored construction and is form'edof rigid material, such as heavy cardboard or fiber board which may be of ply structure or not, as desired. It has an inner lining 39 of glassine which is coextensive therewith andmay be adhesively attached to the entire surface thereof. Such endwall is held down tightly against the contents of the package, and while so held, the bottom end allowance 20 of the side-wall is folded inwardly and adhesively attached to the outside face thereof. In doing this the end allowance forming extensions of the front and back Walls is first folded in and pasted against the end-wall 38 as indicated at 40. It will be noted. that these inturned allowances do not quite meet, leaving a space 4! therebetween which may be utilizedto keep the end-wall 38 firmly pressed against the compacted package contents by means of a suitable tool, and this whole operation may be performed while the package is still supported within the mold-35, if desired. After the allowances 40 are placed against the end-wall with their inner lining l2 in direct adhesive contact therewith, then the allowances forming extensions of the side-walls l5 are turned in and. pasted against the outside end of the package as indicated at 82 (Fig. 10).

Referring now' to Fig. 13, it will be seen that pressible, occupy all the'available space within the package so that there is no room for them to shift. Also, there is little or no room for free I air within the package, the only air contained therein being the minimum quantity left between the closely packed granules. This, in the case of foodstuff such as coffee, is highly desirable to avoid deterioration of the contents. Also, the lining material l2 for the side-walls extends up over and is pasted tightly against the end-walls 28 and the interior faces of these latter have lining material 28 adhesively attached thereto at least around the margins thereof so that the package is practically air and moisture proof.

It will be noted that the side-walls, being lapped over and pasted down tightly against the rigid end-walls which in turn are held tightly against the. compacted package contents, serve to prevent mutual separation of such end-walls .and thus a structure is provided which has rigid end-walls and rigidly supported flexible sidewalls within which the package contents have noroom to shift. Consequently the flexible sidewalls are substantially immune from surface indentations, being supported in smooth unwrinkled planes which are bounded by definite and substantially permanent comers.

After the package has both ends closed, as shown in Fig. 10, it is finished by placing there- "around a band 43 of flexible material, such as a paper label. This band preferably passes entirelyaround the front, back, top and bottom walls, being overlapped at the bottom wall and being adhesivelyattached to all of such named walls. The band also extends laterally to a sufficient extent to overlap and conceal the edges of foil strips 22, but it preferably does not extend entirely to the lateral corners of the pack age, so that that marginal portion of such foil strips which overlies the front and back walls is exposed to the eye. This gives the package the visual appearance of being entirely foil covered, and greatly enhances its attractiveness while avoiding the expense of actually providing such a complete covering of relatively expensive metallic foil. Instead of using a continuous band I 43, separate labels may be applied to the various walls, if desired, or such band, instead of passing entirely around the package, may cover three walls thereof, say the front, back and top walls. The continuous form of band shown in Fig. 11 is preferred at the present time, however. It will be noted that such band overlies the end closure and its lifting tab 32 and the location of the latter is therefore indicated by suitable printing 44 in order that it maybe readily found and lifted by the thumb. Access to the contents may readily be obtained by inserting the thumb nail beneath the tab 32, tearing the label 33 in so doing, and then lifting the hinged dispensing closure, further tearing the label 43 as shown in Fig. 14. This still leaves the seal 28 intact and if the contents are to be removed, this seal is broken and the granular material within the package is either poured out or removed with a spoon. It has been found that coffee, even when compacted to the herein contemplated extent so as rigidly to support the side-walls, is nevertheless readily amenable to rigid materials. The package of the present invention is neither a bagnor a rigid box or.can, but it possesses the economyof materials of the former and the attractive visual and tactual characteristics of the latter.

Since certain changes in carrying out the above method, and certain modifications in the article which embody the'lnvention may be made without departing from its scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings .shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A package of a relatively dry, non-tacky, mobile mass of divided substance, having rigid relatively unbendable end-walls, and side-walls formed of flexible material tensionally stressed from end-wall to end-wall, the tops and bottoms of each of the side-walls being folded over and respectively fastened to the outside surfaces, of said end-walls to prevent mutual separation thereof, said package having its confined contents solidly compacted into a substantially unyielding block or mass in compressive engagement between and against the end-walls occupying all of the available space therein so that they fully engage all of the package walls and tension the side-walls between the end-walls.

2. A package of a relatively dry, non-tacky, mobile mass of divided substance, having the visual and tactual aspects of a container made end-walls occupying all of the available space.

therein so that they fully engage all of the package walls and tension the side-walls between the end-walls.

3. A package .of a relatively dry, non-tacky, mobile mass of divided substance, comprising rigid relatively unbendable rectangular end- Walls, side-walls formed of flexible material joining said end-walls and tensionally stressed from end-wall to end-wall, metallic foilcovering two opposite side-walls and having marginal portions extendingpartially over the adjacent margins of the remaining side-walls and end-walls, and a band of sheet material covering the central portions of such remaining side-walls and at least one end-wall, the edgesof said band overlapping and concealing the edges of said foil, said package having its confined contents solidly compacted into a substantially unyielding block or mass in compressive engagement between and against the end-walls occupying all of the available space therein so that they fully engage all of the package walls and tension the sidewalls between the end-walls.

4. A package of a relatively dry, non-tacky, mobile mass of divided substance, having the visual and tactual aspects of a metal container, comprising rigid relatively unbendable rectangular end-walls each having a covering of lining material attached to its inner face, sidewalls formed of flexible materials comprising adhesively attached sheets of lining material and paper joining said end-walls and tensionally stressed from end-wall to end-wall and having their top and bottom edges respectively overlapping and fastened to the outer faces of said end-walls, metallic foil covering two opposite side-walls and having marginal portions extending partially over the adjacent margins of the remaining side-walls and end-walls, and-a band of sheet material covering the central portions of such remaining side-walls and at least one end-wall with its edges overlapping and concealing the edges of said foil, said package having its confined contents solidly compacted into a substantially unyielding block or mass in compressive engagement between and against the end-Walls occupying all of the available space therein so that they fully engage all of the package walls and tension the side-walls between the end-walls;

5. A package of a relatively dry, non-tacky, mobile mass of divided substance, comprising rigid relatively unbendable top and bottom walls, a lining coextensive with said bottom-wall and adhesively attached to the inner face thereof, a lining coextensive with said top-wall and adhesively. attached to the inner face thereof only about its margin, said top-wall being incised within said adhesively fastened margin to provide a movable closure free from attachment to said lining, side-walls comprising a layer of paper and an interior layer of flexible lining material adhesively attached thereto, said side-walls having their top and bottom edges respectively overlapping and adhesively fastened to the outer faces of said top and bottom walls and being tensionally stressed from top-wall to bottom-wall, the overlapped top edges being extended only over the marginal portion of said top-wall and stopping short of said incised closure, said package having its confined contents solidly compacted into a substantially unyielding block or mass in compressive engagement between and against the top and bottom walls occupying all of the available space therein so that they fully engage all of the package walls and tension the side-walls between the top and bottom walls.

GEORGE R. WEBBER. PAUL W. FLEISCHER. GEORGE W. VON HOFE. 

